Maurice SkinnerJapan has one of the world’s lowest teenage pregnancy rates in the world; however, this does not mean that the country has escaped its own issues and obstacles as to what teenagers, especially women, run into when faced with the fact of caring for a newborn child. Since the pregnancy rate for teenagers is quite low in Japan, it might be hard to understand the underlying factors that hinder development into adulthood for expecting mothers. Furthermore, proper childcare for those born to young adolescents can hamper education, nutrition, future career prospects and equal social standing.
Sex education is lacking in Japan
It is important to understand what may lead to teenage pregnancy.
Japan, unlike many other western countries, may shy away from providing clear cut sex education in Japan. The thought of teaching teenagers about sex within the country is sometimes taboo for many adults. Although sex education is mandatory within Japanese schools between the ages of 10 and 11, these classes mainly cover the biological portions of sexual reproduction. However, schools seem to avoid other matters such as intercourse, birth control, and abortion.
Many officials feel as though the topic of sex is not appropriate for junior high school and high school students. The Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education even deemed that individuals in junior high school were too young to be taught sex-related themes in school in 2016. Many policies at schools throughout the country simply state that having sex or becoming pregnant is forbidden while attending school. These are only a few problems adolescents may run into while exploring their sexuality.
According to a survey conducted in 2015 and 2016, there were 2,098 pregnancies within Japan. 642 women dropped out of school, while 32 of those were advised by the school to do so. Without proper guidance pertaining to sex, it is safe to say that teen pregnancies may also lead to a lack of support once before and after pregnancy.
Employment concerns follow as a domino effect
Adolescent teenagers must also adhere to different work practices before the age of 18. The Labor Standards Act of Japan also sheds light on the restrictions by which individuals under 18 must adhere to garner work. Many job positions such as working underground or with dangerous chemicals, as well as night work. According to the Labor Standards Act, night work is considered labor between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. This, however, is not restricted to males who are at least 16 and working on a shift work basis.
Although this option gives males under the age of 18 an advantage for work, adolescent women with children will face difficulties in finding adequate work to provide their families. This may be viewed as a form of inequality for many women within the country. Moreover, it has been discovered that there is a large pay gap between individuals who drop out in junior high school and high school. Some speculate this is even more severe for mothers under the age of 15 due to the gender inequality gap that persists in Japan today.
Gender inequality exacerbates the problem
It is well known that Japan has one of the most lopsided rates of gender inequality in Japan. It affects women who are raising children on their own too.
For adolescent women with children, support and advice may be harder to come by compared to other countries such as Germany, the United States of America or Norway. This is due to the underlying hardships that a person already has to face based on their gender. Women in Japan make 24.5% less than men do at their jobs. This can be seen as one of the leading reasons why single mothers have an immensely difficult time providing for their children. Moreover, when that single parent is an individual under the age of 18, this could provide an even tougher time for new mothers. Being a single adolescent mother may also lead to problems such as social stigma.
Teenage mothers in Japan also face a barrage of physiological and social pressures among peers. This may be attributable to Japan’s strict adherence to social norms and the fact that the teenage pregnancy rate is relatively small. As of 2018, the adolescent birth rate in Japan rests at 3.664 out of 1000. For those children born, they may also be treated differently than those of the same age. They may even hide a sense of shame. Without proper education, few options for work, and a steep social ladder to climb, many single mothers enter a cycle of poverty.
Poverty and child poverty in Japan
Japan suffers from some of the highest child poverty rates among developed countries; in connection to this, 16% of children live below the poverty line in the Land of the Rising Sun. Many of these children are raised in single-parent households, with the majority of those parents being women. Moreover, single mothers under the age of 18 come from impoverished backgrounds. Due to little support in receiving a high education, a lower income, and discrimination at work and in society, children often grow up only to unknowingly repeat the same cycle. Without education or means to obtain a job with a liveable wage, the cycle of poverty is hard to break and could hinder any hope of a better future for many.
Looking out for the vulnerable groups in society
Teenage pregnancy in Japan is an issue that still must be tackled today, especially with the inevitable backlash brought on by the coronavirus outbreak. The virus may increase the rate of adolescent pregnancy in Japan, but only time will tell. Moreover, expectant teenage mothers still have an uphill battle to face when it comes to raising a child due to inequality, financial difficulties and social barriers.
